1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an intelligent network service system and, in particular, to an apparatus and a method for multiplexing a special resource of an intelligent peripheral.
2. Background of the Related Art
An intelligent network is a structural concept of a communication network that provides a service, satisfying a request of a communication network user, using an intergrated database and a common channel signaling network, which is accessible to the database. An intelligent (superior) hierarchy provides various services that are independent of a transmission (subordinate) hierarchy and a signal (intermediate) hierarchy. Due to the network structure, the intelligent network has characteristics such as the separation of a service and a network, an economical new-service integration time, and a retrenchment of expenditure, etc.
The intelligent network can provide numerous services. For example, it can provide a “number converting service” that converts a logical number, provided by intelligent service logic, into an actual telephone number; a “billing service” that offers billing flexibility by diversifying billing forms, according to a kind of service; a “restrictive service” that restricts a service by inspecting a specific certification, such as an access condition, an access permission limit, etc.; a “call completion service during terminating service”; a “call reference service”; a “prank (malicious) call tracking service”; a “mass calling service”; a “telephone poll service”; and a “virtual private network service”, etc. At the present time, types and functions of intelligent services have been diversified according to various requests of subscribers and the development of No.7 common channel signaling network techniques.
As described above, the structure of the intelligent network is constructed with a service network hierarchy, having data about subscribers and controlling an intelligent network service; a signal network hierarchy, connecting and relaying the superior service network hierarchy; and a subordinate transmission network hierarchy. The transmission network hierarchy exchanges and transmits information such as voice and data. The transmission network hierarchy is constructed with a service switching point (SSP) that discriminates an intelligent network service call, from other types of subscriber calls, and requests control information. Additionally, the transmission network hierarchy has an intelligent peripheral (IP) connected to the SSP to perform a voice guide broadcast, a voice synthesis, an automatic voice recognition, an additional digit collection, etc.
FIG. 1 is a physical construction profile illustrating a general intelligent network. Because the intelligent network connects the SSP 20, a service control point (SCP) 40, and an IP 30 with a No.7 common channel signaling network 50, it is possible to generate and manage a new service more efficiently.
The SSP 20 connects a service subscriber to the intelligent network by recognizing an intelligent network service call of the subscriber and connecting it to the SCP 40.
The SCP 40 controls an intelligent network service. It manages a database providing service control logic and subscriber information, to make the SSP 20 process the intelligent network service call.
The IP 30 is connected to at least one SSP 20 or SCP 40, through the No.7 common channel signaling network 50, and supports flexible and efficient information exchange between a subscriber and the intelligent network. It does this by providing a special resource that performs a voice guide broadcast, a voice recognition, a voice synthesis, a dual tone multi frequency (DTMF) collection, a protocol change, and a facsimile document processing, etc.
Generally, an operation apparatus or a switching system has at least one reserve apparatus preparing for an error occurrence in the operation. The IP 30 has a duplexing system or a multiplexing system to provide an intelligent network service, smoothly.
If the IP 30 has a duplexing system, two IP (i.e., active & stand-by) parts are constructed. When an error occurs in the active system, a fail-over of the active system is instantly performed and the stand-by system replaces the active system to perform an intelligent service. When the IP 30 has a multiplexing system, the IP 30 reserves some (i.e., M-number) of the special resource processing devices (i.e., N+M) for the error occurrence.
FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the background art special resource multiplexing apparatus of an intelligent network-intelligent peripheral (IN-IP). The IN-IP special resource multiplexing apparatus includes a plurality of special resource processing modules (hereinafter, referred to as modules) (1˜N) providing a requested service to a subscriber. Reserve modules (N+1˜N+M) perform a backup function for a faulty module, when an error occurs in the module. A plurality of main processors 120 check for an error occurrence within the modules (1˜N) and perform a retrieval feature, and a main processor 130 controls the reserve modules. A special resource management block 110 checks for an error occurrence in the modules (1˜N) and manages a device block required for special resource multiplexing.
The special multiplexing system of the IN-IP will be described below. While the IP 30 provides an intelligent network service, the special resource management block 110 periodically checks for an error occurrence within modules 1˜N and a transmitted external signal. In more detail, it judges whether an error occurs at the module and checks whether there is a new intelligent network service request call. When there is a new intelligent network service request, the special resource management block 110 retrieves an availability indicator from each module (1˜N) and allocates the intelligent network service request call to an available module having an idle special resource.
When an error occurs in a module, the special resource management block 110 isolates the faulty module and logically replaces the faulty module with one the reserve modules (N+1˜N+M).
In more detail, the main processor 120 transmits an error sensing signal to each module (1˜N) to check a state of the modules (1˜N), under the control of the special resource management block 110. Each module (1˜N) transmits state information, about itself, to the main processor 120, as a reply. And, the main processor 120 transmits the state information received from each module (1˜N) to the special resource management block 110.
The special resource management block 110 analyzes the received state information of the modules (1˜N), isolates the faulty module, and logically replaces the faulty module with an idle reserve module. And, the service performed previously by the faulty module resumes using a special resource of the backup reserve module, replacing the faulty module.
As described above, the special resource multiplexing method performs a service by operating the reserve modules (N+1˜N+M) and the modules (1˜N) separately, wasting resources as described below. First, a reserve special resource processing module that replaces a first faulty module cannot later replace a second faulty module, regardless of its unused capacity. Second, an entire module is replaced by a reserve module, even when an error occurs within a single channel of a module having multiple channels. Thirdly, a pertinent module is judged as faulty and is isolated regardless of an operation state of the rest of channels.
In addition, when the load on the modules (1˜N) is large, it is impossible to use the reserve modules (N+1˜N+M) in a supplementary capacity. Accordingly, a usage efficiency of the special resource is low and a uniform distribution of the load can not be performed.
The above references are incorporated by reference herein where appropriate for appropriate teachings of additional or alternative details, features and/or technical background.